Editing HEAVY OBJECT:Volume4 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 6===

When Quenser arrived at point YI where the party was located, he glanced around.

He was not inside some shop.

Due to the “cityscape” being made up of mostly tents and RVs, there were no shops in which one could leisurely sit around.

A portion of the market was opened up into a plaza and a large number of tables covered in food had been carried in. The free mobility of the shops making up the “cityscape” was a major advantage. They had likely opened up the space to accommodate such important customers.

(Looks like Heivia hasn’t arrived yet.)

Soldiers wearing the same uniform as Quenser had already begun to partake in the food and alcohol, but Heivia was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh, there’s the old lady.”

“What? Shouldn’t you be speaking with someone younger at a party like this?”

“I thought you would be on standby in the maintenance area in case the Object had to be scrambled.”

“The princess is off duty, so there wouldn’t be much point. This is a coalition force, so other Objects are taking care of defense. …But wouldn’t this be a perfect opportunity for you to observe the Object?”

“There isn’t much to learn when no one is working on it. I need to see it when it’s actually fighting. If I’m just going to stare at its surface, I might as well just go to a military magazine site.”

“What a boring person. Your ideas lack style. You’re the type of person that wouldn’t ask for a souvenir from someone heading overseas.”

“I’d take some platinum as a souvenir of Oceania. I hear they’ve been mining a bunch of it lately.”

“I see you’re pretending to be some wealthy merchant again. And platinum is old news. The days of it having a stable value are over. Research is progressing in ways to mass produce industrial platinum.”

“Eh? They’re using the platinum for industrial uses?”

“It’s used in Objects, too. You need to study some more, student.”

As the two spoke, Froleytia approached them from behind with a cocktail glass in hand.

“Oh, you two haven’t started eating yet? Who knows when we’ll have another chance to eat anything but those flavorless rations. You should eat some while you can.”

“Then can’t you do something about those ratio-…bfh!?”

Quenser had a good reason for freezing in place the instant he turned around.

Major Froleytia Capistrano had become a miniskirt Santa. Also, her upper body was covered in nothing but a bikini-style piece of clothing that had very little surface area. Her cleavage and midriff were on full display.

After facing postponement after postponement with the princess’s swimsuit feint, Quenser very nearly lost control of his emotions at all that bare skin.

“A surprise projectile attack!?”

“I have no idea what you mean, but those military uniforms are hardly suited for the desert.”

“Honestly, it’s going to get cold once the sun sets. You have no one to blame but yourself when you catch a cold after dressing like that,” said the old lady in exasperation, but there was a hint of amusement on her face.

With a confused look, Froleytia asked, “Wait, where is Heivia? Is he not here yet?”

“That’s the thing…”

Just as Quenser started to respond, a small electronic tone came from his radio.

(Who could that be? Someone from the maintenance base?)

Quenser moved away from his commander and hit the switch on the radio.

“It’s me!! It’s me!! It’s Heivia!!”

“Where did you get off to? I’m already at the party. You should have chosen the red bus…”

“I’ve gotten caught up in some kind of incident!! Tonight, I’m gonna be the hero!! But I have one request for you!”

“If you want help, you can forget it!! I’m not taking a step away from this party!! And if you want to know why, it’s because there’s a well-endowed Santa right in front of me!!”

“That’s fine, that’s fine!!”

“?”

“I don’t see how I can avoid a firefight in the middle of the city. But we aren’t in a battle right now, so this is technically a job for the police. …To be blunt, we could be in trouble if that huge-breasted commander catches wind of this!!”

“No, not ‘we’. I’m not part of it this time!!”

“After what happened in the Loyauté district, this would be a third yellow card!!”

“Have we really gotten that many yellow cards?”

“At any rate, we’ll be in real trouble if we get any more!! I’ll take care of this issue on my own, but you need to buy me some time!!”

“…Hm? It’s rare for you to be so motivated. The problem is that your motivation isn’t always a good thing.”

Quenser’s long radio conversation must have seemed suspicious because the Santa that was likely going to give him some wet dreams frowned and asked, “Quenser, who are you speaking with? Almost everyone is here.”

“Eh? O-oh, um…”

“Just distract that huge-breasted commander!! Don’t let her realize I’m not there!! We’re in real trouble otherwise. If I don’t deal with this, the Oceanian civilians will be the ones in danger!!”

(Wait. If Heivia is enthusiastically working at something rather than coming to the party, this must be a major issue on an unprecedented level. If an Object shows up, I really am just going to ignore it.)

At any rate, the situation had gotten troublesome.

For one thing, Quenser did not see how he could defeat Froleytia Capistrano via any ordinary means.

“Quenser, answer my question. Who have you been speaking wi-…cough.”

Some sand must have been blown in by the wind because Froleytia held her throat.

(This is my chance!!)

Quenser grabbed a glass filled with a clear liquid from a tray held by a civilian waiter passing by.

“Are you okay, Froleytia? Here, have some water.”

“Oh. Thanks, Quen-…bbhhh!!!???”

When the miniskirt bikini Santa gulped down the contents of the glass all at once, she let out a noise that Quenser had never thought he would hear from her.

The reason was simple.

“Que-…you!! This is vodka! And straight vodka at that!!”

“I’m sorry, Froleytia!! I must have grabbed the wrong glass! Here, this one is oolong tea!!”

“Honestly I can’t believe you-…ugbh!? Th-that was malt whisky!!”

“Oh, no!! Froleytia, I won’t get it wrong again! This time, it’s mineral water!!” said Quenser as he handed her a cup filled to the brim with tequila.

(C’mon, get drunk!! Get dead drunk!! If she keeps drinking these drinks with such high alcoholic content at such a high rate, even a heavy drinker like her has to get drunk!!)

“…Hic.”

After a few more cups, Froleytia was silently hanging her head. Beads of sweat were trailing down her bikinied chest and her skin had grown rather red. The core of her body had grown limp and she was swaying back and forth even while standing still.

(Was the plan a success!?)

Quenser was celebratory at first, but another thought then entered his mind.

(Wait, what happens once she’s drunk?)

That question then started eating into the boy’s mind.

(This is bad. This might be really, really bad! Froleytia is a complete tyrant when sober, so what’s going to happen now that all her limiters have been removed by alcohol!?)

“…Qwensher…”

The low tone and drawn out way that she called his name frightened him.

As an unpleasant sweat began flowing down Quenser’s entire body, he could do nothing but stand at attention.

“Y-yes!? What is it, commander!?”

For a while, Froleytia said nothing.

She was already quite close to Quenser, but she silently yet unsteadily drew even closer to him.

He seriously thought she was going to grab his collar.

And then…

Right in front of him…

Froleytia Capistrano opened her mouth to speak.

“Sob. Why are you always so mean to me, Quenser?”

“?????”

Quenser’s thoughts completely stopped for an instant.

That was not the role of the cruel commander known as Froleytia. That was a line suited for a timid childhood friend who always carries around a stuffed animal.

But he realized what was happening shortly thereafter.

“I-is she the type that gets sad when she drinks!?”

“Are you mad, Quenser? Are you? I’m so sorry I’m such a terrible commander. I’m sorry I always need you to save me. I know it isn’t right. If I did a better job and used the princess to her full potential…”

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“Wait, wait!! You can’t get like this in front of people!! This is where people will half-jokingly take cell phone pictures, so you need to have some self-control!!”

“…Are you mad, Quenser?”

“Gyaahhh!! Don’t press up against me like that!! Don’t wrap your arms around my neck!! Have you forgotten how you’re dressed!?”

“…You’re mad…”

“I’m not!! I’m not mad!! Dammit, I have no other option while in public like this! I wouldn’t really, but if we were alone I could probably get away with all sorts of things!!”

“You really aren’t mad?”

“I’m not!! Really! Trust me!!”

“…”

Froleytia pressed her large breasts forcefully against him and brought her face in so close he probably could have kissed her had he simply pursed his lips, but she fell silent and did nothing further.

This all placed a tremendous mental burden on Quenser, but Froleytia finally spoke once she had worked something out in her mind.

“Quenser…you’re something like a big brother to me.”

“You’re a little sister character now!?”